Can opener and pouring spout



Oct. 4, 1955 A. s. WILLIAMS 2,719,652

CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Filed Oct. 20, 1952 QLBSET $5 U/lLL/RMS IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Albert S. Williams, Beverly Hills, Calif. Application October 20, 1952, Serial No..315,747

Claims. (Cl. 222-81) This invention relates to can openers which provide a pouring spout for the liquid contents of a can, and particularly relates to a can opener, which not only provides a pouring spout, but also a tight can closure and one which has many advantages over prior devices.

Openers for cans containing fluids are well-known, many of which simply remove a portion of a can top or bottom, and others which are hinged and provide a spout after an opening has been provided in the can. The present invention is one which opens the can quickly and safely, is leak-proof, and provides an air vent or weeper during the pouring operation, and which, upon further insertion into the can, provides an air-tight closure therefor until further dispensing of the cans contents is desired. The spout is economical to manufacture and easily inserted by anyone.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the opening of cans containing liquids and the dispensing of the contents therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination can opener, pouring spout, and can closure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical can opener which may serve both as a spout and a can closure.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention in pouring position in a can.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and shows the spout in pouring position.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the spout in can closing or sealing position, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the same numerals identify like elements, a can 5 which may be of any type, shape, or size now used commercially for liquids has a top or bottom end section 6. Positioned in the section 6 is applicants invention generally shown at 7, but which consists of a split, hollow, or tubular member 8 having a tapered and sharpened end section 9 and an upper end portion 10 with an extension 11 of portion 10 fixedly attached to an annular flexible top or cap portion 12 with a skirt portion 25. As shown in Fig. 5, the cap 12 and skirt 25 surround the top section 10, but are attached to member 8 only by extension 11. Thus, the remaining portion of member 8 is resiliently biased by the normal tension in split member 8 to contact the interior surface of the cap 12 and skirt 25. There is normally a gap between the edge 15 and the edge 16 of the member 8, which forms the split in member 8. (See Fig. 5.)

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The member 8 also has, along the sides thereof, two pairs of parallel rows of indentations 19 and 20, it being noted in Fig. 2 that these indentations extend partially around the short edge portion of the member 8. An opening 22 is provided in the long front edge section of the member 8, which, of course, is the outlet for the fluid contents of the can 5.

To insert the invention into a can, it is only necessary to place the tip 9 against the top 6 of the can and apply pressure by a sharp blow to the cap 12. To obtain a better action from the invention, the sides of the member 8 can be pinched together, so that the edges 15 and 16 are in contact, as shown by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 5 at the time of insertion of the invention into the can. Now, when the rows of indentations 20 reach the top 6 of the can, the tension of the member 8 will hold the spout in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In thisposition, the contents of the can 5 may be poured through the opening 22, the split 15-16 along the back edge admitting air to the can so a smooth flow of liquid is obtained.

If all the contents of the can 5 have not been used, and it is desired to close the can until some future time, it is only necessary to apply further pressure on the cap 12 to force it into the can so that the rows of indentations 19 are at the top 6 of the can, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the skirt section 25 of the cap 12 is of some flexible material, such as polyethylene, vinol, or rubber, and the lower edge of the skirt is tapered to increase the contact of the skirt with the surface of top 6, an air-tight seal against the top 6 of the can is provided, as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to again pour out the remaining contents in the can 5, the spout 7 may be raised to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 3. The seal has been found to be sufficiently tight to permit a can to be stored on its side without leakage of the liquid therefrom. It will thus be noted that the edge of the skirt 25 just covers the rows of indentations 19.

The device 7 is thus a can opener, a pouring spout, and a can closure, and since it is of only two simple elements or members, it may be economically manufactured. The member 8 is preferably of metal, but may be of a hard plastic. Although shown U-shaped, which is preferred, the member 8 may be circular or have square corners and flat edges.

I claim:

1. In a can opening and pouring attachment, the combination of an elongated tubular member having a pointed end section and a flexible cap section, said member having an opening therein and being attachable to said cap section at one end thereof, said member being split for resiliently attaching said member to said can, said elongated member having a plurality of pairs of parallel spaced detents thereon for accommodating'the edge of a can top, one pair of detents positioning said attachment for pouring the contents of said can through said opening, and another pair of detents positioning said attachment to permit said attachment to close the opening in said can made by the insertion of said member into said can, said flexible cap section sealing said attachment to said can top.

2. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising an elongated tubular member having a tapered and sharpened end section for piercing a can top, a flexible cap mounted on the other end of said member, a delivery opening in said member adjacent said cap, said member having two pairs of indentations arranged parallel thereon, said tubular member being split longitudinally thereof for resiliently holding said attachment in a can after the piercing thereof, said cap having a flexible skirt portion surrounding and adjacent one end of said member to seal said attachment to said can.

3. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising an elongated tubular member having a tapered and sharpened end section, a flexible cap mounted on the other end of said member, an opening in said member adjacent said cap, said member having two pairs of indentations arranged parallel thereon, said tubular member being split longitudinally thereof for resiliently holding said attachment in a can, said member being fixedly attached at one point to said cap, said cap having a flexible skirt portion surrounding one end of said member to seal said attachment to said can, the edge of said flexible skirt portion terminating at substantially the position of one pair of said indentation so that when said indentations are parallel with the top of said can, the end of said skirt portion contacts and seals the opening made in said can by said member.

4. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising a tubular member having a greater width than depth, one end of said member being tapered to a point and sharpened for piercing a can, a flexible cap member having a flexible skirt surrounding the upper end of said member, two pairs of parallel indentations along the sides of said member for positioning said member at two positions with respect to the top of said can, said member having an opening therein adjacent said cap for delivering the contents of said can, said member being attached to said cap at one point and adapted to be reduced in internal volume when inserted into said can.

5. A can opening and pouring attachment in accordance with claim 4, in which the lower edge of said flexible skirt is tapered to obtain a greater surface in contact with said can when one pair of said indentations are in contact with said can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,451,461 King Apr. 10, 1923 2,129,784 Rice Sept. 13, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 336,344 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1930 

